COURAGE DOESN'T ALWAYS ROAR. SOMETIMES COURAGE IS THE LITTLE VOICE AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT SAYS "I'LL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW."

Mary Anne Radmacher

I was just watching a show that I have never watched before. It's called CHASING LIFE and it is about a young woman who is going through treatment for cancer. She looks quite darling in her short wig and is so healthy looking, not at all like some of the people I've seen who happen to have cancer.

In yesterday's Milestones section of the newspaper there was a beautiful tribute, actually more like a love letter, that a friend of ours had printed in honor of his wife who passed away one year ago. Ellen was one of the people that was doing chemo at the same time as me. It's kinda strange thinking that some of those people who shared hours at the clinic with me have indeed passed away. I'm a lucky one. I don't say this in a braggy way. It is simply that I am a lucky one. I told someone lately that 2014 almost seems like a dream. Currently, I am perfectly healthy (hopefully) and life is going on without skipping a beat. I wish all the rest of the "gang" could say the same thing.

Summer is coming to an end. I can hear all you mothers out there sighing with relief, because school will be starting soon. The three grandkids are getting so big. Cate is now a Junior, Abby is in 7th grade and Alec will be an eighth grader. Got to spend last week with Abby (and Alec). Of course, we did the Goodwill bit, and Ab found some treasures to drag home. Jenna called Friday night and said that Alec requested that she take him and his two cousins, Cate and Abby to the pool the next day. That was a first as far as him requesting going somewhere with someone, and actually labeling them as "cousins". Good stuff. Unfortunately, Cate was busy Saturday, and at the last minute, they had to cancel Sunday because it was their mother's birthday. Jen ended up going with a friend and her little girl. A good time was had by all.

Sis-in-law Nina and I are hatching a plan to escape for a few days to . . . wait for it . . . Las Vegas. Whoo! We have a friend who lives there and he knows where all the good places are to see things. It is so cool to ride the monorail at night and look down and see all the lights. It is really like being in a fantasy world for a little bit. It has been a busy summer and I have tons of chores I need to get crack a'lackin with, but it will be a nice change of pace for a few days.

Jenna and I are getting things around for The Overcomer Club to walk in the Breast Cancer walk in C.R. I had told her I wasn't going to have a team this year. I did it last year and it was really quite an experience, but I am really kinda shy (you wouldn't know it since I have a big mouth, but it's true) and I hesitated about doing it again. But Jenna walks almost every year she can, and I will cave to her wishes this time. I told her that I definitely wouldn't be able to pull off my hair (wig) while crossing the Finishing Line, like last year, since I got a mop of real hair now. Thank goodness. It is actually at the point where I need to get a trim and perhaps a permanent. Son Dan's wedding is in a month, so it would be good timing.

NOTE: Sister Sandy listed her previous home with a realtor Friday, but it never even got printed in the paper before it SOLD!!! Congrats. Life is good.

Are you up for another UH OH KIDS ditty? Sure you are.

CARLY ROSE WON'T BLOW HER NOSE

CARLY ROSE HAD SUCH A COLD.HER NOSE WENT DRIP . . . DRIP . . . DRIP.THE MUCAS RAN RIGHT DOWN HER FACE AND LANDED ON HER LIP!

WELL, CARLY HANDLED IT THIS WAY.IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE!SHE REACHED RIGHT UP AND RUBBED HER NOSE AND WIPED IT ON HER SLEEVE!

HER MOTHER WENT RIGHT TO THE STORE AND BOUGHT HER A NICE HANKY."YOUNG LADY, BLOW YOUR NOSE WITH THIS.YOU'RE MAKING ME FEEL CRANKY!"

SO, CARLY TOOK THE HANDKERCHIEFAND PUT IT IN HER POCKET.YET, WHEN HER NOSE BEGAN TO DRIPSHE USED HER SLEEVE TO STOP IT.

SHE SNEEZED AND COUGHED AND HAD A TEMP.SHE WENT RIGHT OFF TO BED.BUT WHEN HER NOSE HAD TO BE WIPED,SHE USED THE SHEET INSTEAD!

USE TISSUES OR A HANKY, PLEASE.JUST LOOK AT CARLY ROSE.HER MOTHER GOT SOME COTTON BALLSAND STUFFED THEM UP HER NOSE.

REMEMBER TO BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF AND OTHERS. WE ARE ALL CHILDREN OF CHANCE AND NONE CAN SAY WHY SOME FIELDS WILL BLOSSSOM AND WHILE OTHERS LAY BROWN BENEATH AN AUGUST SUN. Kent Nerburn

With this quote, I am NOT saying that "mainstream" people are the ones who blossom while people with disabilities such as autism lay brown beneath the August sun. It is all up to chance that some people . . . any person, can prosper and develop in the usual, ordinary fashion. Then there are some that have to struggle and are misunderstood because of their differences.

Today Alec and I stopped at a garage sale. It was being run by a middle-aged mother and a four year old boy. Alec walked into the garage ahead of me, walked around the tables of things for sale, and picked up a Mr. Potato Head toy. The mother spoke to him, but he ignored her. When I walked up to her, she nodded her head toward her four year old, and said, "This little guy is autistic, too." Yup, you kinda get where you can spot these wonderful "special" kids right off the bat. We talked for half an hour and she asked me lots of questions about what we had gone through with our little guy. She told me that he had just been diagnosed because it took so long to arrange it (Alec was on the waiting list for six months to be checked for autism). She also asked me about the services Alec gets (speech therapy, etc.). which is provided for under either IEP which stands for Individual Educational Plan or ADA services. She was told they were on a THREE YEAR waiting list!!!????!!!! That is so wrong in so many ways. Speed is of the utmost importance when diagnosing and getting help for these kids. Early training is essential in starting them off to get the best results.

After we left there we went to the pharmacy to pick up some meds for me, and Alec started making noises like he was getting distressed (be prepared for a melt-down when this happens). The pharmacist came up to the counter and handed him a slinky toy. That engaged him and he was calm and quiet. She told me that she had a nineteen year old son who was autistic and playing with a slinky calmed him down.. See? When you are that close to the situation, you can spot them everywhere you go.

What is it now? . . . something like 1 out of every 58 kids born today are somewhere on the autism spectrum. So if you don't know anyone who has an autistic child, just wait. Eventually you will.

APPOLOGY NOTATION; Sorry, Nabisco Company. I bought a new package of Family Size Oreos and there were 48 cookies in the package. I don't know what the deal with the last one I had which only contained 36. Was one of the cookie packers asleep on the job?

Jenna and I are going to the Giving Tree Theater to see the play THE BOYS NEXT DOOR about four special needs guys who live together. The theater picks a special charity every month and donates part of the proceeds. This month it is to the ARC. How appropriate.

NOTE: It's eleven o'clock and we just got home from the show. WOW!! It was funny, but it sure hit close to home. We worry all the time what it will be like when Alec is grown and perhaps needs to go to a group home. It was very emotional and Jenna and I both did a little crying.

WE'RE LOYAL TO YOU, ALBURNETT.WE'LL ALWAYS BE TRUE, ALBURNETT.OUR TEAM IS THE GREATEST VICTOR -ON BOYS, FOR WE EXPECT A VICTORY FROM YOU, ALBURNETT

Our school song

Yup, Saturday night was hilarious. Hubby and I had our class reunion. It definitely was a magical time (or a real trip back in time). I have not laughed so hard in years. Everyone was so nice and looked amazingly good (for oldsters). Friend Jodi came all the way from California. She is our "big city" girl. She is really into guns and shooting, and brought her new toy - a stungun, which I kept mistakenly calling a taser. Yeah, she came a'packing. I had to laugh when I got out my phone to check something and she chastised me for still carrying a "flip" phone. I only carry a phone for quick calls from Hubby, my kids or a brief conversation with someone trying to get hold of me. I don't text, or go online by phone, or refer to a calendar constantly. I wouldn't mind the nice pictures that the smart phones take, though. I found out some startling info from the high school days that I wasn't aware of. One of the guys was saying that when we went on our class trip to Chicago, one of my girlfriends (who is a total riot) and he decided to sneak out of our hotel and explore the Windy City - late at night - by themselves - traveling on the subway!!!!!!! They encountered four Black Panther members who tried to give them a pamphlet about their "club" and my girlfriend told them, "We don't want any of your damn magazines!" The guy said he just stood there, thinking, "Oh, God, I am going to die in Chicago and nobody knows where we are!" The Panthers left them alone. They probably recognized "hick" kids from rural America. LOL

When I typed out the school song (shown above) I guess I never noticed how sexist it is. We had girl sports, yet the school only cheers on the guys. Whatever.

LATEST COMMERCIAL COMMENTS: Years ago, my dad gave me a cookie jar in the shape of the Pillsbury Doughboy. Since Hubby loves Oreos, I would buy one package and that would completely fill it to overflowing. He actually had to eat a few cookies in order to get the lid completely on. That was the good old days. Now I have to buy two packages and that doesn't even fill the jar completely. Last month I counted the number of cookies in their "family" pack (39 cookies). This month there are only 36 cookies per package. AND NOW THEY ARE ADVERTISING THEIR NEW THIN OREO!!!! (it looks like it is about as wide as a fifty cent piece). I wonder how many packages it would take to fill that same cookie jar.

I am feeling quite well. I see my oncologist next month just for a check-up. I only have 4 years and 4 months left of taking the "fat" medicine. Whatever. OH! by the way. If anyone is interested in walking in the breast cancer walk Sunday October 4th. please let me know so we can sign you up. I had hesitated about going this year. I did it once and it was great, but then I didn't know if anyone would want to go this year, too. But it's for a good cause, and Jenna, Alec, Cate, Abby, and I are definitely walking anyway. Anyhoo, if ( and only IF) it works out for any of you, just let me know.

Janene...

... was diagnosed with breast cancer on November 11, 2013. This is a place for all of the people who love and care about her to get the information about her treatment and her personal experience of kicking cancer's ass, (sometimes from her daughter's perspective). It's hard to stand by and not be able to do anything to help. Writing gives my mom an outlet and allows both of us to share information during this time. Therefore, we blog :)